In So Many Words
by KoHaNa-ChAn20
Summary: You french kissed right in front of me and Sakura last week at your welcome party, and the only proper hi you gave her back was a nod!” "..so?" - “So Sakura, why exactly were you staring at the ceiling…for 82 hours?” "Deep thought. The usual." SASU/SAKU


_**I. Am. A. Wreck.**_

**I know why. And I **_**swear**_** I wasn't gonna say 'I dno y' cuz den I wud just be lying 2 u **_**and**_** 2 me. I need an escape. So I need 2 write this. Flame it, burn it, throw all your XP's but wat I feel ryt now, out matches that. **

_**Bcuz, it feels lyk with just one look of **__**his**__**, dat I'd fall apart.**_

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, or else there wud b a WEDDING. HinaxNaru first den SasuxSaku. **

-

- **The Meaning of Nothing**

Bright lights and loud music could be heard from the Uchiha mansion even at 12 midnight. This big commotion was to celebrate the return of the 2 Uchiha brothers whom had returned from Sound.

Ino, Tenten and Hinata were already in the luxurious mansion somewhere laughing and giggling with other mates yet a pink haired girl had rooted to the spot outside. She was looking at the mansion up and down memorizing every detail she could. After all, she wasn't gonna be seeing much of this house anymore or else the Uchiha brother's would have probably thought she'd turned into a stalker. At least no one could see her right now, at this moment, gazing at her use-to-be childhood playhouse with her 2 first best friends.

_Flashback_

"_Sakura, quick, come this way!" Sasuke beckoned in a hushed voice. _

"_34, 35…uh…39?" a 5 year-old Naruto counted covering his eyes. _

_Sakura took one last peek at him then tip toed with Sasuke up to the basement. _

"_Sasuke…" she trailed off looking at the corners of the ceiling. "Yes?" he asked without any hint of fear at all. "I…I get scared of spiders very easily…a-and…there's one right there!" she whimpered as she pointed to the one, metres away from her._

"_Well that's silly, you don't have to be scared of spiders anymore Sakura-chan, 'cause I'm king of the spiders! See now they won't dare to hurt you, or else they'll have to deal with __**me**__."_

_End of Flashback_

Sakura blushed at the memory. Ever since he left, her phobia of spiders (even ones as tiny as her pinkie's fingernail) had come back. But now that Sasuke was here again, she would even risk going through that cave filled with those gigantic spiders in Harry Potter, just to see him! Hell yeah!

She wanted to tell him so much; about how annoying Naruto was, borrowing money off of her for his _precious ramen_. And how his tab had already reached $1500. Or the time when she thought that Rock Lee was Kiba, and Naruto started to howl with laughter. Which…only resulted with a very furious Kiba gritting his teeth while strangling (very similarly to Homer Simpson) the blonde knucklehead (mind you, he was turning purple).

Except she knew…that once she finally got the chance to see him again, she'd turn speechless. Just like a statue. And honestly, she was neither happy nor sad of their return. Sure, she was happy. But…she wasn't chirpy at all…

Just…simply curious of why he left her and Naruto so suddenly. They were his best friends right? Surely he would have…

_Flashback _

_Sakura blinked her eyes and pinched herself as she felt her head start to rock a bit back and forth. She had hardly any sleep last night wondering if Sasuke would come back waltzing through those gates the next day. It just made her itch with excitement! To tell Naruto and Kaka-sensei the good news! Everyone would have been so delighted to hear that he'd have come back!_

_And so there she was, at the park bench right near those gates she was sure he had walked through in search for something…that she just didn't have to know. She didn't care, all she wanted was for him to come back through those gates again. And for her to see him come back first. On this Specail Sunday morning._

_Then, her ears perked up as she heard footsteps and grinned. She had a feeling. That feeling, that it was him! Abruptly standing up and rushing to see who it was she stopped in her tracks to see a sleepy Naruto yawning. _

"_Naruto?" she asked curiously raising her eyebrow. "Oh, hey Saku-chan…WHAT. Hey, wait a minute! Why are you here so early in the morning?!" he shouted somewhat surprised and angry._

_She blushed, telling him that she was waiting for Sasuke would be like telling him 'I love Sasuke sooo much!' and she didn't want that. It's not that she liked Naruto like that so she didn't want to tell him…No, he was like her brother! It…it was just that he would keep teasing her non-stop and eventually, the whole town would know by the rest of the day that she was a devoted fan-girl._

"_I'm waiting for the ice cream truck Naruto. Now off you go, you get some sleep." She said robotically as she tensed. No, she didn't want ANYONE finding out that she liked…that she liked…Sasuke…_

"_I don't believe you! The ice cream truck doesn't come on Sundays _**(a/n: trust Naruto to remember that, ne?)**_! You're waiting for him aren't you?!" he shouted again, this time pointing an accusing finger at her._

_Sakura tensed even more and wore a look of fear on her face. Yes…she really was waiting for him. But before she could respond to his outburst, Naruto's gentle voice interrupted her-_

"_So don't worry. It'll be both our secret Sakura. Because I went out there looking for him too. I told Hinata that I was really worried about that teme. And so she suggested that I go look for him near the gates. You're really worried too, aren't you?" he told her, trying his best to smile._

"_Y-y-yes…!" she cried as tears started to spill. She wanted him to come back. So, so, so wanted him to come back through those gates hugging her and Naruto. To comfort them with his (to other people who don't know him) face that was devoid of any emotion. Or well, he'd try to look like it. Because Sakura and Naruto always knew what he was thinking deep down. After all, they did grow up together…_

"_It's okay. Sasuke will come back as soon as you know I've eaten 30 bowls of ramen again! He'll come back for sure. But maybe we shouldn't keep torturing our bodies like this. Maybe, if we keep on hoping that he's gonna come back…then he definitely will." Explained Naruto grinning._

"_For real? We don't have to…wait at the gates anymore?" she asked him with water in her eyes. "That's a promise." He murmured._

"_Then…let's keep hoping Naruto-kun. He's gonna come back. That's a promise."_

_End of Flashback_

After that, she gave up waiting everyday near the gates, but still refused to lose hope that Sasuke would come back again. She was so alone and wondered if out there, Sasuke was feeling like that too. Like what if it had suddenly turned winter?! Did he have a jumper, scarf, beanie, anything to keep him warm?!

"Even though he's an ice block he's still a human…!" she used to mutter, scrunching up her nose.

But now, there was nothing to worry about. Her best friend had come back, and she should be feeling happy! Not, asking him why he hd left them all alone. Why _he _left her all alone. Why he didn't tell _her-_Sakura shook her thoughts away before it came to that. She had no right of being the first to know he was back. Sure she _would _have loved the feeling; to be loved by him _that _much. But she knew he wa never going to feel like that. Ever. Because he hadn't told her _or_ Naruto. He had told his parents.

Sakura furrowed her eyebrows ad slapped at herself mentally. _'I shouldn't be thinking so selfishly...he's back. He's back and that's what matters!'_

So smiling the utmost best she tried to summon on her face, she walked into the gates and followed the music.

_'He's finally come back to us.'_

* * *

Spotting almost immediately after she walked into the spacious backyard, a blonde loudmouth boy, she was sure Sasuke would be there too. And she was right. Except, she didn't think she'd find another person standing so close to him either.

"Sakura! You're finally here!" Naruto exclaimed happily. Sakura grinned back and smiled at Sasuke. "I'm so glad you're back!" she greeted him happily. She was such in high spirits (ignoring the girl whom was glaring at her) and just felt so ecstatic at that moment finally being able to see him in front of her again.

_Infront. __Of. __Her._

She couldn't believe it. She didn't even know why she wasn't _hugging him to death_!

However, a curt nod was the only reply.

Sakura's grin sank to a small, understanding smile as she looked down. No 'I am too' or 'Hey, Saku-chan'? Wasn't he even _that_ happy to see her?!

She swallowed the nervousness and beamed back at Naruto whom had the same stiff look as she did a few seconds ago. "Me and Naruto had been so worried about you!" she turned back to him with a relieved face that masked her sadness.

"I learnt a few things while I was there." He muttered lazily shrugging.

Sakura raised an eyebrow and gave him a sly look. "Oh,_ really_? Care to share?" Sasuke looked at her and as their eyes connected at _that_ moment, she saw _her_ old Sasuke-kun.

Her best friend.

_Her crush_.

He broke away and the blissful look in his eye, disappeared almost as fast as it came. "Okay." He muttered annoyed and pulled the surprised red-head whom was latched onto his arm closer until he their noses touched.

_And right then, it was official._

On Karin's face, you could see her blushing cheeks and her eye lids like curtains, coming down to cover that wild, hungry look.

_He __**wasn't**__._

All Sakura could do was stare, no _gawk_ at the couple…

_Happy._

…whom were lip-locked and French-kissing.

_Overjoyed._

Then they broke apart, as she widened her emerald orbs at his empty face.

_He wasn't Sasuke-__**kun**__._

* * *

Sakura's POV

I _hate_ admitting things. Mum even said so. She said, "Oh, you were already one stubborn angel since you could just barely talk, sweety pie." And…it was a _tad_ bit true…okay everything around that whole _statement_ was freaking true, happy now?!

I remember she was giggling at that time, receiving flashbacks of how I first talked. My first word? No. Yeah…that _was _my first word. I don't remember but _she_ does. Trust mom to know the embarrassing memories than the one's filled with an actually sense of pride and dignity, aye? Okay like _I _know what dignity means either. I'm studying to be a _nurse_ not a freaking dictionary writer!

And pardon that word. I'm just _really_ bummed out right now.

Inner: TO HELL WITH _REALLY_! I SAY AWFULLY, ESPECIALLY, ENORMOUSLY, DREADFULLY, EVER SO-

And I'm _NOT _going to be a thesaurus writer either! (Inner: oh…gotcha) To sum it all up, I Sakura Haruno am confused. Okay, maybe I'm having trouble expressing how confused I really _am._

Hey, I've been confused before. Like in my math tests when it contains all those scribbles or why diet coke is better than coke. Or why Barney _had _to be purple. See, I _have_ been confused.

Except this time, it's not just my _brain _that's confused, it especially involves a rather drum-like instrument in my body that's insanely going faster and faster, and louder and louder every time I think of that _jerk!_

I know. This so far, has been so _boring. _My rants and my ranting even _more. _Just so…so…_boring _and_ whiney! _See _this_ is why I hate admitting things! It's because I get stressed and when I get stressed…

**(Normal POV)**

"Sakura we got your message, what's the-" Tenten's voice trailed off once she saw the look on the pink-haired girl's face. Her pink strands mixed with sweat and her eyes were blood shot red accompanied by purple eye bags underneath. It seemed like she had been resting in bed for hours already non-stop.

"Tenten…I'm…I'm…" Sakura tried to mutter out but simply closed her eyes and groaned. What did she tell you? Admitting things were really not her _thing._

"A _wreck_?" Ino supplied sitting on the end of the bed frowning disgustingly. Ino was always cautious around sweaty things. One reason why she _hated _sports. Except this time, Sakura had noticed a slight hint of worry that could be made out throughout her words.

Sakura kept her eyes closed and sighed. "Could I ask you all a favor?" she croaked out.

"Sure." Hinata was the first one to answer as she sat down on Sakura's chair near the side of the bed.

Sakura could then hear Ino and Tenten's 'mmm-hmmm's and 'okay!'s and opened her eyes. "Ino, you do what you do to fix me up." She giggled and was soon followed by Ino's joking scoff. "I _knew _you were gonna ask me that! I mean, the way you are, I'm you're only _hope_, darling!" Ino cried out enthusiastically. And somehow, behind that hyper-ness was a slight twinkle of malignance.

"_Without_ over-doing it. Just my usual style." Sakura added quickly. Inside, she was shit-scared wondering what Ino would've done with her look if she hadn't interrupted Ino's victory image. And right then, as everybody guessed, Ino's enthusiasm died along with the evil twinkle as she slumped her shoulders and groaned. "Dammit…I was so close, Sakura! You _do_ need a make-over though!" she whined crossing her arms childishly and stamping her right foot.

Sakura ignored her blonde friend's immature actions and turned her head to the side, "Hinata, please go make the _best_ miso soup you can. I know you can do it. _I have faith in you!_" she told her dramatically. "Of course! Miso soup deluxe coming right up for Saku-chan!" Hinata replied with a smile and salute.

"Er, well…it's not for _me…_it's for Chico. God knows what my mum's _given _that dog of mine! Last time I found a can opener and a can of baked beans outside her ken!" she said honestly making Hinata sweat drop and force a smile as she trudged downstairs. "Aye, aye…" Hinata muttered twitching. 'Making my special miso soup for a dog…' she was inwardly muttering.

"And Tenten, as for you...you're gonna prepare a pool party for the whole campus and after that a sleepover for our closest buddies only!" she requested seriously. Tenten's jaw-dropped. "You want me to _what_?! Sakura, you're kidding right? Be reasonable. _Why _do we need a pool party for the _whole _campus?!" she shrieked.

Sakura nodded and sighed. "I guess that _is _pretty unreasonable…" Sakura murmured. Tenten was about to sigh in relief and say 'let's just do the sleepover' when Sakura clicked her fingers and grinned. "Bring the teacher's too."

"Sakuraaaaaaa!!!!"

* * *

"So you got _another _girlfriend? Dude, tell me this one isn't going to be dumped in a week." Naruto pleaded sarcastically rolling his eyes.

"Fine then. She's not going to be dumped in a week. She's gonna be dumped in _eight _days." Sasuke said smirking.

Naruto's brows furrowed. "I don't know what happened to you but ever since you've been hanging out with Itachi and his _stupid Akatsuki _gang, you've turned into a total player! Even _Sakura_ doesn't know you anymore!" Naruto spat as he grimaced at Sasuke as if he were looking at an expired ramen packet.

"So?" Sasuke shrugged as if it wasn't a big deal. And it _wasn't_…well wasn't really…was it? He had been trying to keep Sakura out of his mind for a long time now. And it _was _working with all these girls that so easily flung themselves on him.

So what if Sakura thought he was horrible the way he was now? He hadn't seen Sakura in a long time. And now that he and Itachi moved back to Konoha with their parents, it was a chance for him to show Naruto that he had already forgotten about them. About what had happened before. _They…They had been his family;_

The 'troublesome' florist whom always wore purple (and whom carried a microphone on loud speaker).

The lazy, smart, pine-apple who loved to watch clouds (and stay beside the flowers so one day _she_ would _see_).

The thin healthy carrot **(a/n: gomen…-sweat drop- I was really hungry, okay?!)** disguised as a big watermelon.

The cocky dude who loved triangles and dogs.

The quiet sun-glassed bug that had a number of relatives living with him -coughincough-.

The small speck of sand that turned into a brave pretty pearl waiting to be found in that purple/snow white shell.

The orange Popeye the sailor man with ramen in the spinach can (whom found the shell and whom fell in love with the pearl).

And last but not least, he was to prove that he had forgotten _her_.

The petal of a cherry blossom tree that soared and fluttered with the breeze's touch, and yet with one feel of the ground, and one final _step _of _his_ foot, it would wither away unloved.

"_SO_?! Sasuke, you gotta stop this! What are you trying to get out of all this? You french kissed right in front of me and Sakura last week at your _welcome_ party, and the _only_ proper hi you gave her back was a _nod_!" Naruto howled slamming his fist down on the coffee table.

Sasuke tensed unknowingly and closed his eyes only to find himself thinking of that hurt, understanding look she'd only gave _him_.

And then,

_SLAM –open-!_

"SASUKE-_KUN!!_ I _knew _I would find you here!! See, it _was_ meant to be!" squealed the purple headed girl whom he found latched onto his arm once he had opened his eyes. Then his eyes traveled to his butler whom was shaking his head disappointed.

"It was a pleasure showing you the room, Miss Ami." He called after bowing respectively. Ami's eyebrows furrowed and crossed her arms as she jutted out her chin rudely, "You may go now, Hayate **(a/n: Kya!! I LUV dis guy lol)." **She muttered annoyed.

The butler stalked off with a troubled face and everyone in the room, maybe including Ami, knew that nobody in the household trusted his new girlfriend. Heck, they hadn't trusted the red-head Sasuke had brought home last week either and had a feeling more girls would be coming in from now on.

Naruto pitied them and he knew that even though the staff were paid well, it pained to see their master play with the hearts of so many pretty girls. Even if _some _–coughKarinandAmicough- weren't as nice. "Sasuke, just why are you doing this?" his best friend pleaded with a frown.

"Because it's a hobby."

* * *

"Ow! Stop _right_ there! No! I said-argh! It hurts, Ino!" Sakura complained furrowing her eyebrows as her blonde best friend tugged as the knotted pink strands. To add, she was pulling _quite hard_.

Ino frowned and sighed, "Sakura, if you keep this up, we won't get anywhere even if it takes a dozen years. I seriously think we need to go to my mum, for this."

Sakura gave Ino that pointed look that just screamed out _'HELL NO'_. It was not that Ino's mum _wasn't_ a good hairdresser…heck, Mrs. Yamanaka was the most famous hairdresser in town! She had _style_. And the _best_ and _safest_ techniques. She was in the _IN._ And that's exactly what Sakura feared. Ino's mother wasn't the type who'd ask what customers wanted. She was the type who'd just _snip_ or _spray _away despite of complaints. She had a different sense of style for different types of people.

"Or else you'll just have knotted hair for the rest of your life." Ino warned her with narrowed eyes. Sakura crossed her arms and gave up nodding miserably. "We'll go later then. Right now, I wanna know about the _party_!" Sakura chirped changing the atmosphere as she turned to an annoyed bun-haired girl that growled as she looked at the long list of numbers.

"How do you know everyone's _phone number_?!" Tenten deadpanned stretching her hand that had been holding onto the phone for a long time. Sakura shrugged innocently, "Charisma?" she suggested looking at Tenten. The bun haired girl nodded and resumed her dialing. But _seriously_, normal girls cant have _that_ much charisma...can they?

Hinata came back in once again and sweat dropped at the sight of her; Sakura's hair that unusually looked similar to Medusa's and Ino whom had an evil glint back in her eyes. Tenten had looked like she had lost all the nerves in that one hand she held the phone with while glaring at the list of numbers.

"I fed…Chico, Saku-chan. He looked quite full to me, though."

Sakura shrugged it off and closed her eyes as a proud look made its way to her face, "What can I say? I've taught her well."

"So Sakura, why exactly _were_ you staring at the ceiling…for 82 hours?" Ino asked sweat dropping.

"In deep thought. The usual."

"Uh…huh. You were in deep thought for almost 3 days. That's not healthy, Sakura." Ino advised her sarcastically.

"Well, I'm _not_ a healthy girl, Ino."

"Psshh. Ever since he came back you haven't."

…all was silent yet Sakura could feel the fast loud thumps her heart kept making.

Feeling the same stinging pain.

That _empty_ look.

Those soft, moist _lips_ of his…

_Her_ eyes. _His_ eyes.

Such _opposites_…yet…

Closing her eyes as she hid her emerald orbs, those pained emerald orbs, her voice hitched. She was speechless once again.

Tenten placed down her phone and stared intently at Sakura while Hinata lowered her face. Ino's eyes softened and closed them sighing.

"So that _was_ why you looked like a wreck."

Upon opening her eyes, Sakura shook her head and faked a grin, "I'm fine. I think I'm really ready for that haircut of mine, guys. Why don't we go, now?" She told them standing up on her aching legs.

Tenten steadied her and sighed. "You sure you're doing the right thing, Sakura? We're really worried about you…you've never really been like this." The tomboy frowned at the pink-haired girl beside her, whom only nodded.

Her mind was somewhere else,

On a swing…

Staring at the back of a raven-haired boy, whom seemed to walk endlessly farther with every second of every day.

Speechless.

And had I told you that she _hated_ being speechless?

* * *

"I see my Ino has finally convinced you to get a new groovy haircut from the goddess of hair-sprays myself, you should feel honored and relaxed. Not _tense_, kid." She joked running her fingers along her hair.

"Shall we get started?"

_A Nod._

Exactly what _he_ had done to her.

"Let it go, Saku-chan!" she could almost hear a 5-year old Naruto pipe up.

"Okay…"

* * *

_Snips. Snips. Snips. Pause, and then snips and then-_

"Vwala!" Ino's mother exclaimed proudly as Sakura started to open her eyes.

And in the mirror, she had lost sight of the 12-year old Sakura that used to stare back with those long sily pink strands that swayed in the breeze. No, this was not cute the Sakura, for sure. This Sakura was grown up.

Just like how,

She'd wish her heart would.

She smiled at the blonde lady (whom smiled understandingly) and bowed thankfully.

Because this was a token of her promise unconsciously.

That with this short hair,

He meant _nothing_ to her.

Just like how _she_ meant nothing to him...

-

"Ino! Guess what!"

"What?"

"I found out that Sasuke likes _long_ haired girls!"

* * *

**Gwyn:**** I feel slightly okay now. I feel better. I'd been planning that for about a month now. But today, I really do feel lyk a wreck. ^_^ I hope you guys understand that I just needed to **_**write**_** this before going on with Listen to My Lyrics or P.B.C.R. **

**I've got a few other stories I wanna publish but **_**not**_** until I get some encouragement. Come **_**on**_**, guys! Stop just **_**subscribing**_** for these stories, gimme some reviews! Gimme some of your opinions!**

**Not saying, all of you guys though lol. Oh, n this is an all pairing story, 4got 2 mention dat at the beginning. It's just dat SasuSaku r mainly da first couple I always pick to write about. But no worries, Ino/Shika Ten/Neji Hina/Naru fans! Ur awaited fluff will come soon! Just **_**don't**_** pray for another one of my heartbreaks to write another chapter again, okay?! **

**Cause it **_**hurts**_**.**

**AND IT'LL **_**ALSO**_** HURT IF YOU DON'T CLICK THAT REVIEW BUTTON!**

* * *

Gwyn: Hey my loyal readers or whoever bothers reading dis. Got sumthing 2 say 2 u all.


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